Is your laptop on the Chromebook Plus upgrade list?
Earlier this week was perhaps the biggest ChromeOS news we’ve heard in years. Google created a Chromebook Plus device standard to help simplify the buying process with a certain level of hardware requirements. New devices are due out next week but they’re mainly the same as, or are incrementally upgraded from, existing models. Your laptop may already meet the new hardware standards and could be on the Chromebook Plus upgrade list
If it is, that means all of the new AI-powered and other ChromeOS features on the new Chromebook Plus models will be supported and added to your laptop as well. Just as a reminder, here are the Chromebook Plus minimum requirements:
- 12th-gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU
- 8 GB of memory
- 128 GB of local SSD storage
- 1920 x 1080 IPS display
- 1080p webcam with temporal noise reduction
My 2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 does meet these minimum requirements, so I already know it will get the Chromebook Plus upgrade features.
Here’s a list of the currently qualified laptops that will also get it, later this month:
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (CP514-3H, CP514-3HH, CP514-3WH) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-1WN) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-2W, CP714-2WN) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook 516 GE (CBG516-1H) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Vero 514 (CBV514-1H, CBV514-1HT) |
| ASUS | ASUS Chromebook CM34 Flip (CM3401) |
| ASUS | ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5601) |
| Dell | Dell Latitude 5430 Chromebook |
| Dell | Dell Latitude 5430 2-in-1 Chromebook |
| Framework | Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition |
| HP | HP Chromebook 15.6 15a-nb0xxx (xxx: 001~999) |
| HP | HP Chromebook x360 14 inch (14c-cd0xxx) (xxx: 001~999) |
| HP | HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite c640 14 inch G3 Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite c645 G2 Chromebook |
| Lenovo | Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook 14” (IP Flex 5 Chrome 14IAU7) |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook (14″, 7) (IP Flex 5 Chrome 14IAU7) |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ |
| Lenovo | Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook 14″ |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook (14″, 8) |
| Lenovo | Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook |
| Lenovo | Lenovo 5i Chromebook 16″ |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad 5i Chromebook (16″, 7) |
| Lenovo | Lenovo 14e Chromebook Gen 3 |
You may notice a few expected devices to be missing from this list. I did immediately when only a single “cloud-gaming” Chromebook appeared.
These are what I’d consider at least mid-range, if not higher-performing Chromebooks with their excellent displays, new Intel Core processors, and plenty of memory. And yet, two out of three of them fail to qualify as Chromebook Plus devices.
It only takes one missing hardware component or feature to not qualify.
The Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip, for example, launched with 11th gen Intel processors, so that’s out the window. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE I bought and later returned is pretty much a hardware beast that, on paper, meets or exceeds the Chromebook Plus specification. But I don’t think that 1080p webcam supports temporal noise reduction because everything else a Chromebook Plus laptop needs is there.
So if you don’t see your device on the list, it’s likely because of a single missing requirement for the Chromebook Plus upgrade. I suspect folks in that camp won’t likely be happy. I know I wouldn’t be. But… a standard is meant to be just that: A standard.
Unfortunately, even one small hardware bit not meeting the standard holds back the whole device from the Chromebook Plus upgrade.
glad i followed your 714 purchase
Its a weird thing really. I mean I wouldn’t recommend any these chromebooks to people. I know they are fast, but these days I want i7 16gb ram to future proof a device. These devices will not be plus anything half way through their Chrome OS update span, well unless little updates happen.
And really the question is how often does the spec get updated, my guess it wont and this whole thing be forgotten about in a few years.
With Windows the spec always moved with Windows versions, but Chrome OS has no versions / releases in the same sense. Maybe it will say Plus in your OS version and on boot as you showed but the software benefits are just so weak. Premium OS features never sell it just annoys people when they find out, OS equality has always what worked well. People just dont stand for it or everyone will just go plus and it becomes the default. Microsoft would never do this, they sell home and pro, not home + as well, it just annoys people. People will buy these price range device not for the OS features but for the good hardware. If they wanted an extra $50 for the plus software most people would feel annoyed and google would have to make it default eventually. They do this with pixels but pixels are for fan boys.
For about 5 minutes people will be able to different models quickly, but so what price has always done that and even with this will do for normal folk.
All I can really think is this is a bit of marketing to tell the tech media to not see Chromebooks as cheap throwaway devices anymore. Which is good because the whole low price thing was always foolish. But why google can’t just be more direct and ballsy in their marketing. Always sly, deceptive, dishonest even with themselves. Just stand up straight and tell the world how great this OS is, don’t go for windows comparisons, just show how it is simple streamlined secure easy it is.
Thank you for your indepth, but concise newsletters!
I currently use ChromeOS Flex on an 11 gen Core i7 with 16 gigs of memory and a one terrabyte SSD. ChromeOS Flex also supports Debian Linux. I am very pleased with it and quit using chromebooks or chromebox.
> The Acer Chromebook 516 GE I bought and later returned is pretty much a hardware beast that, on paper, meets or exceeds the Chromebook Plus specification. But I don’t think that 1080p webcam supports temporal noise reduction because everything else a Chromebook Plus laptop needs is there.
Acer says the opposite about the camera: “This gaming Chromebook has everything you need to start streaming. The FHD flare-reducing webcam with temporal noise reduction technology reduces noise and increases visual fidelity, while the quad upward speakers and a dual-microphone array gives you higher-quality audio output.”
On the list there are “ASUS Chromebook CM34 Flip (CM3401)” but I can find variant of CM3401 (CX3401FBA) with only 720 pixel webcam. How should the list be readed ?
Models vary by country. In the U.S., the 2023 model that launched earlier this year has a 1080p webcam, so perhaps that’s why it’s on the list.
Hi Kevin, great post!
I love my Acer Spin 714 and Lenovo Flex 5i both of which I purchased based on reading your blog for some time now. Thanx! BTW, I love the garaged, self-charging USI 2.0 stylus that comes with the 714 which is also compatible with the 5i. 2in1 Chromebooks are just awesome for use in teaching coding in laptop mode or math in tablet mode! Both of these chromebooks fit the Google Chromebook Plus criteria so, again, thanx.
Question 1) I have been doing a lot of screencasting lately for Youtube and Udemy. I have one problem, recently my Acer has been creating static when I record my voice with the internal mic. I have to switch to my Blue Yeti external USB mic whenever I’m recording or on Zoom. Have you experienced anything like this with your 714?
Question 2) Also, I just started using the Chromebook Screencast app. I like it except I don’t know how to add a virtual background when using my webcam. Have you had occasion to work with this?
Thanx in advance,
A. Jorge Garcia
Applied Math & CS
Nassau Community College
http://shadowfaxrant.blogspot.com
PS: thanx for your recommendations on a USI 1.0 pen a few years ago
@A. Jorge Garcia 2)
Turn on these two experimental flags, set the background blur in your favourite video conferencing software during the video call, and then use the screencast.
#video-conference
#vc-background-replace
@A. Jorge Garcia 2)
If your Chromebook was upgraded to a Chromebook Plus from October 17 to 18, you no longer need to turn on these two flags, this functionality is turned on automatically on Chromebook Plus devices.